Mob lynching of two Muslims in Assam sparks concerns over rising hate violence in India
Patna: In the latest incident highlighting growing anti-Muslim violence linked to cow protection politics, two Muslim men were lynched by a Hindu mob in BJP-ruled Assam state after being accused of cattle theft.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the brutal attack took place in the Bhalukpong area of Sonitpur district, where villagers reportedly chased and assaulted three men over allegations of cattle theft, killing two and injuring another.
Sonitpur district police chief Barun Purkayastha confirmed that the victims belonged to the Muslim community from Assam’s Morigaon district.
Authorities said the investigation was facing difficulties because the village is located in a heavily forested remote area without CCTV cameras or surveillance systems.
The incident has intensified concerns over rising cow vigilantism and mob violence in India, where Muslims involved in cattle trade, transport or beef-related businesses are frequently targeted by Hindutva groups and mobs on accusations of cow slaughter or smuggling.
The lynching comes amid an aggressive so-called anti-cattle smuggling campaign in Assam. Last week, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that over 850 alleged cattle smugglers had been arrested since January under the state’s “zero tolerance” policy. Ahead of Eid al-Adha, he also announced the seizure of nearly 2,980 kilograms of beef and said authorities were maintaining heightened vigilance before the Muslim festival.
Civil rights advocates have long warned that the BJP-ruled states are enabling a hostile atmosphere through aggressive policing campaigns and inflammatory rhetoric targeting Muslims in connection with cattle-related allegations.
Opposition leaders and human rights groups have also raised concerns over weak accountability in mob lynching cases, arguing that perpetrators often evade punishment while Muslim communities face intensified surveillance, harassment, and criminalization.
